I'm In Trouble
by LozzieObsessed
Summary: Kataang fluff with a bit of Zutara on the side... Following the group throughout their journey, testing Aang and Katara's reactions to each other as they grow older. There will be more fluff as the story progresses, so bear with me!
1. I'm in trouble

First part of (hopefully, depending on feedback) Kataang fluff. Following the group throughout their journey, testing Aang and Katara's reactions to each other as they grow older.

There will be more fluff as the story progresses, so bear with me!

Sadly, I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, or its characters. Love it if I did, though.

-Ellie

p.s. feel free to leave comments and reviews!

Aang: 12

Katara: 14

….

The night buzzed with the chirping of crickets and the humming of bees. Katara kneeled in from of the fire, gently stirring the broth in front of her. Naturally, Sokka was closest to the food.

"And in three, two, one…" Katara thought.

Sokka suddenly looked up. "Wait, Katara – where's the meat?!" he said with utter disbelief.

There was no way she could do this to him. Meat was the love of his life – it had always been there for him when he needed comfort. He would not sit there idly whilst he was denied his one and only joy!

"You'd better be about to add some, or so help me-" he growled.

Katara interrupted his empty threat. "I thought, considering he is now part of our little group, we should be open-minded towards Aang's beliefs. Unfortunately for you, that means no meat for the time being", she said with an evil little grin.

Sokka glared at his sister. Fine. She wouldn't put meat in his meals? Then he wouldn't be having any.

"I'll find my own meat and cook it then", he huffed. With a melodramatic flourish, Sokka twirled around and stalked off towards the woods.

Katara chuckled to herself. It was always fun winding her brother up; he had the best reactions. Mother had always said he was the drama queen of the family.

Lured out of his tent by the smell of cooking and the sound of Katara's laugh, Aang emerged from his tent.

"What's so funny?" he asked. Despite having travelled with the siblings for two months now, Aang had scarcely heard Katara laugh. It was a lovely sound, immediately bringing a smile to his face.

Katara raised her ocean blue eyes to Aang's striking grey ones and simply answered, "Oh, just Sokka."

Aang couldn't speak. Mesmerised by the fire that danced in the waterbender's eyes, he was once again struck by her beauty. How did she manage it? Every time, he was rendered completely speechless with just one look. He really had to get a grip.

Aang shook himself out of his daze. "Where's he gone?"

Katara nodded in the direction of the trees. "He's in there trying to find some prey to satisfy his need for protein."

Aang laughed at this, and Katara raised an eyebrow. Apparently she wasn't joking.

"I know he's not vegetarian, but is our food really that bad?"

"Believe me, I've been asking him the same thing. He's just so stubborn."

"Huh." Aang sat down next to the fire. "Well anyway, thanks for sacrificing your own meat for me. You really didn't need to."

Katara smiled at him. "No problem. To be honest, I've always wanted to try vegetarianism, but it's not exactly easy to find plants and vegetables in the South Pole."

Her smile was infectious.

_Agni, this is unfair_. _I've only known her a short while, but it's so obvious that she's perfect. _

His feelings for Katara were growing every day they were together. It would only be a matter of time before he would explode.

_These next few months are going to be torture._ Aang thought, with a resigned sigh. _I'm in trouble._


	2. Jealosy

Thanks to anyone who's read the first part of my story – I hope you enjoyed it!

A special thanks to JessL2 (my first follower :D). I've tried to take your advice on board.

Comments are deeply appreciated.

- Ellie

…...

"Have I ever mentioned how much I hate heights?" Sokka asked his companions as they swung their legs over the tree-top balcony.

Aang rolled his eyes at Katara and they both laughed.

"You might've mentioned it once or twice", she replied.

In fact, her brother had 'mentioned' it exactly seventeen times – Aang had counted. Sokka's fear of being 'higher than humans should go', as he put it, seemed a little sudden, considering all the time they spent on Appa. Maybe his apprehension wasn't to do with _where_ they were, but who they were with? Aang was totally on his side if that was true. There was something about Jet that didn't seem quite right…

Speak of the devil.

"How're you liking our little hideout?" the freedom fighter asked as he smoothly slid into the space next to Katara.

Aang narrowed his eyes at Jet. Yep. Definitely something not quite right.

Katara blushed and turned to the teenager. Before she could say anything, however, Aang answered for her.

"Amazing", he beamed. If he was nice to Jet maybe he could figure out what the guy's deal was. "It's like being eight again – you know, when you have those dreams of living in the trees?"

Jet nodded approvingly whilst Katara glared at Aang. Dammit, she'd had the opportunity to impress Jet with something really intelligent but Aang had taken it instead! Agni, that boy was infuriating.

"Yeah, it's the best", Jet said vaguely before turning to Sokka. "You know, Sokka, you'd make one hell of a freedom fighter. What with your boomerang skills and all."

Sokka, who was currently as far away from the edge of the platform as he could possibly get, lit up at the prospect. Finally! Someone who understood him for the skills he had, not his stomach's desires, as most people came to know him by.

"Really?" he said, completely caught off guard by the compliment.

"Absolutely", Jet said. "We even eat meat."

Katara shot a warning look at her brother, followed by an apologetic one at Jet.

"Don't forget, Sokka. We promised Aang we'd help him master the elements."

Sokka grumbled something about never getting what he wanted in response. Aang smiled gratefully at Katara. Even when she was annoyed at him, Katara stuck up for him. It only made him like her more. The way her chocolate waves got caught in the breeze and twisted out of her plait, and the way her eyes always reminded Aang of the ocean, no matter where they were, made it worse somehow. Jet's presence also didn't help.

Katara felt the older boy's eyes on her and twisted round to face him. His dark eyes bored into hers as he said, "I wish you would stay."

Katara, a little breathless, acknowledged this flattering remark by dropping her eyes and whispering "I do too."

"Humph" Aang said, and went to stand next to Sokka with his arms crossed.

"Something bothering you, Avatar?" Sokka asked, slightly mocking.

Casting a wistful glance in Katara's direction, Aang didn't say anything.

"Yeah, I know" Sokka continued. "I don't trust that Jet guy either."

Aang nodded his agreement, secretly thanking Agni that the brother of his crush had no idea what he was actually thinking about.


	3. The eye of the storm

I'm new to fanfiction, but I really hope you enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoy writing it.

Thanks to everyone who's read it, and please, leave comments! It would be great to know what you think.

-Ellie

…...

This wasn't right. Damn that fisherman and his stupid, quick assumptions. It physically pained Katara to see Aang like this. His angelic face was scrunched up into a mask of pure regret as he told her the tale of his decision to run away. Every time he mentioned Monk Gyatso's name, Aang would flinch, causing Katara to flinch too – his pain was her pain.

"I just…left," he said, his voice finally breaking. Katara linked her fingers with his as she held his hand.

"Aang," she told him, her voice firm. "You had nothing to do with the Fire Nation attack. Sozin was as evil as anyone can be, and you would've been killed yourself if you had been there."

The young airbender looked up at her with wide silver eyes, grateful for her reassurance. But nothing could take away the guilt he felt when thinking of the only home he ever belonged to, destroyed during his time of cowardice. Katara watched as emotions flitted across his youthful features, her heart reaching out to her friend as his brows furrowed and he looked towards the flickering fire.

Aang's breath caught when Katara suddenly flung her arms around him and pulled him in for a tight hug. Neither of them had expected it, but neither questioned it either: somehow, it felt right.

Katara reluctantly let go of the Avatar, sitting back to look at him with a remorseful expression on her lovely face. Aang cocked his head in curiosity.

"Katara, what's wrong?" he asked.

The Water Tribe girl cleared her throat. "Aang, I never said sorry for the way I acted a few days ago. I shouldn't have stolen that scroll. It was a stupid, selfish thing to do and I put everyone in danger. I'm so sorry."

Aang shook his head and smiled empathetically at his friend. "It's ok, Katara, really. I completely understand why you did it, and I'm actually really glad you did. That scroll will teach us a lot and help me master waterbending."

Katara sighed with relief and was again reminded of Aang's forgiving nature. She admired him for that.

"And we'll get your necklace back," Aang continued. "I promise."

Katara glared into the flames as memories of the Fire Prince made her lips thin in anger. How _dare_ he steal her most prized possession. Zuko had no idea how much that necklace meant to her. She would do anything to get it back, and Aang knew it. The airbender was almost worried for the Prince's wellbeing – he had seen what Katara was like when she was angry at Sokka. Agni only knew what she'd be like towards someone who had actually wronged her.

Then again, Aang didn't like the guy much either; especially the way his eyes had travelled appreciatively up and down Katara's slender figure when he had her tied to the tree. Or the way he'd leaned in a little too closely and left his fingers on her neck for a little too long when he blackmailed her with the necklace.

In fact, Aang found the Fire Prince downright creepy.

He looked over at Katara's eyes gleaming softly in the firelight and made up his mind. He would get her mother's necklace back as a surprise for her. The thought of how happy she'd be once it was returned to her made Aang smile.

He ignored the real reason behind his decision. The Avatar was not supposed to be selfish.

Aang was jolted out of his thoughts by the sound of thunder echoing around the cavernous walls. Rain pelted down outside as lightning lit up the shadowed parts of the cave.

Katara's fearful eyes found his and Aang immediately understood.

"I know," he said. "I'm worried about them too. We'll go out and find them once this storm calms down a bit."

Despite Aang's reassurances, however, Katara couldn't help glancing fearfully into the night. Her brother was in that storm. He could be in danger.

"I don't think we can wait that long," she said.

Neither, apparently, did the fisherman's wife, who suddenly appeared at the entrance of the cave. As Katara waterbended the moisture out of the woman's soaked clothes, she told them about the terrible ocean conditions. Katara looked imploringly at her friend.

Aang gave in – how could he say no with her looking at him like that?

Once Appa was ready, they climbed on, promising the woman that they'd return her husband safe and sound. Aang smiled at his companion, boosting her confidence. Sokka was alright. He had to be.

Together, they flew into the eye of the storm, each gaining courage from the other's presence.


	4. A plan

Wow. I'm amazed by the amount of views this has received over Archive of our Own, FanFiction and Wattpad!

The comments I've got are so nice to read, so please, keep them coming!

And if there's anything you want to suggest as an improvement or you want to ask me about then feel free.

I've thrown something extra in here that may surprise you (in a good way, I hope), but don't worry. I haven't forgotten my original intention.

Anyway, I'll leave you in peace now. Enjoy!

-Ellie

….

Katara gulped in awe at the sight of Aang.

Despite the lava rapidly approaching, the boy gave no sign of nervousness at all. He just stood there with a steely glint in his eyes, daring the hot liquid to come any closer.

But of course a force like that can't be stopped, and Katara realised with a panicked gasp that the trench in front of the Avatar wouldn't hold all of the lava currently speeding towards the little village. Their cloud manipulation had all been for nothing.

"Aang!" she screamed, desperate for them all to just get of there safely. "The trench isn't big enough! It'll overflow!"

Aang whirled around and caught Katara's horrified gaze. His grey eyes widened as he reached the same conclusion.

_Get back._ Katara pleaded with him wordlessly.

The Avatar shook his head. _No. He could do this._

With barely concealed dread, Aang turned to face the oncoming danger. Katara held her breath. _What was he thinking?_

She'd be mad at him if she wasn't so worried.

Aang racked his brain for a way to stop the village being destroyed. There had to be _something_ he could do!

The pure fear resonating through the villagers behind him was definitely not helping. Katara's terrified whimper cut through the screams and Aang made up his mind.

Facing the lava speeding towards him, the Avatar took a stance. He took a deep breath and waited for the right moment.

Zuko looked at the necklace glimmering softly in his hands. Without knowing its backstory, he could tell how much it meant to the Water Tribe girl. The velvet was worn and the clasp was well used, betraying its age and value to its owner.

_Like my dagger, _he thought.

Zuko knew the girl would do anything to get her trinket back. A slight smile graced his lips.

The Fire Prince thought back to the last time he'd seen the Avatar. Aang had crashed through the forest to find the girl, his obsession with her obvious in the way his eyes had frantically searched for her amongst the pirates.

Despite his hatred of the Avatar, however, Zuko could see the attraction to Katara. She _was_ distractingly beautiful, what with her chocolate brown her framing her sapphire eyes…

No.

The Water Tribe girl was bait; a simple pawn in the Fire Prince's plan to restore his honour. Nothing more.

Besides, she already had an admirer.

Zuko's eyes sparkled dangerously. He couldn't see any flaws in his plan.

Katara would do anything to get her necklace back, and Aang would do anything for Katara…

The banished prince looked up and smiled.

Perfect.


	5. Opportunities

Hi everyone, I'll keep this one quick.

Just to say, thanks to everyone who's read _I'm In Trouble _and please keep commenting!

Your reviews and suggestions are very helpful.

-Ellie

….

The man watched the Avatar, his growing disdain for the boy evident in his fiery eyes.

"Look at me, Katara!" Aang exclaimed, proud of the flame dancing across his palm.

"Hm?" The Water Tribe girl looked up, distracted. Her mind was on other things.

Noticing Katara's pained expression, Aang extinguished the fire in his hands. His silver eyes watched as her delicate fingers traced the smooth skin of her neck, and he yet again wondered what it would feel like to have his lips pressed against hers, if they really were as soft as they looked…

Behind Aang, Jeong Jeong cleared his throat.

Heat rushed to the Avatar's cheeks as he avoided the firebending master's gaze. Jeong Jeong chuckled to himself. He might be getting on in his age, but he wasn't blind yet. Not to anything physical, or to anything emotional.

"You know we'll get it back, don't you?" Aang asked.

Katara sighed as her friend came to sit next to her. She still had no idea how he immediately knew what she was thinking.

"I know," she said. "It's just – it feels like a part of me has been ripped away."

She turned to face Aang, determination sparkling in her sapphire eyes.

Aang gulped.

"I need it back, Aang." She told him. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Hidden by bushes, Prince Zuko watched the Avatar and the girl sitting on the riverbank.

His golden eyes narrowed in recognition of the tall white-haired man standing in the river.

Jeong Jeong.

The Deserter.

The Fire Lord would not be pleased to know the old master was still alive. Zuko began to plan the man's capture, but quickly remembered his purpose. He was not here to arrest the Fire Nation fugitive, despite how easy it would be to do so.

Clenching his jaw in frustration, the banished Prince looked away from Jeong Jeong. He _hated_ letting someone go like that. It went against everything he stood for.

Zuko returned his gaze to the two figures talking side by side. When he overheard Katara's comment about her necklace, the Fire Prince smirked. He'd been right all along. There was no way the Water Tribe girl would forget about her trinket.

Every instinct Zuko had screamed at him to take advantage of the Avatar's turned back, but Zuko kept himself in check. Three benders - including a master- to one were not good odds. He'd have to wait for the right moment to strike.

"Prince Zuko," a gravelly voice said behind him, making the teenager jump.

He turned to face his uncle, fuming at his loud voice.

"Shhhhh," Zuko hissed. They could not be given away now; not when the Avatar was within his grasp.

Iroh rolled his eyes and motioned for his nephew to accompany him back to the ship.

Knowing there was no arguing with his uncle, Zuko reluctantly followed Iroh back through the forest.

Before they were out of sight, however, the Fire Prince looked back at his enemy.

The Avatar was exactly where Zuko wanted him to be, and would be there for some time if he was to master firebending.

"Soon, young Avatar," Zuko promised, "You will be begging for mercy at my feet."

His opportunity arrived sooner than planned.


	6. Darkness

I tried to make this an extra-special one, which is why it's so long.

I'm not sorry about the cliff-hanger, by the way. Mwah hah hah.

I know, I'm evil.

Anyway, enjoy! I think you've waited long enough.

-Ellie

….

The moon glowed bright in the night sky, surrounded by glittering constellations. Shadows stretched between the trees where the light didn't reach. The darkness screamed _danger! _

Katara rolled away from the ominous forest, sighing at her over-active imagination. The dark had always terrified her - not that she'd ever let the others know. They didn't need another excuse to see her as nothing but a useless waterbender.

Her arm started to go numb beneath her, so she sat upright on her mat. Looking over at her brother, Katara felt the familiar pang of protectiveness she'd had over him ever since her mother died. Although Sokka was the older sibling, it had constantly seemed like she'd been the one looking out for him, not the other way round. His immaturity levels had always been higher than hers, meaning Katara had usually been the one making the important decisions.

The novelty of being in charge had worn off after a while however, and she had realised that he needed to make his own decisions at some point in his life. So the 'take charge' side of Katara had stepped back, letting her inexperienced brother handle the reins for once. Naturally, Sokka had let that go to his head, but Katara didn't mind. Despite all her and Aang's teasing, her brother's instincts _were_ generally right.

With a proud smile, Katara looked away from her snoring sibling.

Her gaze came to rest on the Avatar's sleeping figure. In the dying firelight, she saw that his features had softened in sleep. Aang had been so tense recently, obsessed with mastering the elements before Sozin's comet arrived. Katara shook her head sadly at the amount of pressure put on Aang. It was too much for one boy to handle.

Skimming Aang's angelic features, Katara wished she had some way that showed she belonged to a bending culture, like Aang's arrow tattoo. She had her mother's necklace, but it wasn't the same. It didn't immediately say 'waterbender' when you looked at it, the same way Aang's tattoo immediately said 'airbender'.

Katara's eyes closed in silent anger at the thought of her missing necklace. Zuko would pay for taking the only personal possession she owned. He had no idea how much it meant to her.

Aang did though. Katara had believed her friend when he had promised they would get it back. Somehow his reassurance had been the only thing that made her feel better about the whole situation. She knew she could count on him.

The last of the flames flickered, casting shadows that danced across the Avatar's flawless skin. Katara's eyes widened as she realised something had changed. She still felt protective and kind of motherly towards the boy, but the struggles she'd watched him go through had made her start to feel something else.

Something Katara was scared to look too closely at.

Taking a deep breath, Katara decided a distraction was needed. It was obvious that she couldn't join her companions in sleep, much as she wanted to. There were too many thoughts flying around her head, threatening to turn into a headache.

Katara silently rose from her makeshift bed and crossed over to Aang's satchel, where the waterbending scroll she'd stolen from the pirates was poking out. She crouched down and, trying not to make a sound, lifted the heavy leather over the top of the bag and quickly took the scroll. She sighed in relief when Aang didn't make a sound.

Katara knew how much he needed sleep.

The river was on the other side of the trees, meaning she'd have to go through the black forest to get there. Katara steeled herself for the darkness, but before she stepped under the dense canopy, she looked back at the camp.

Aang had rolled over in his sleep, and was now facing her as she walked away. Katara smiled softly in the boy's direction and whispered, "I'll be back soon."

Then, the Water Tribe girl turned away from her companions, and, holding her head high, strode into the shadows before her.

Right into the waiting arms of the banished Prince.


	7. Panic

Hola, everyone.

Just wanted to say how much I appreciate all your comments and votes

Love you all!

-Ellie

….

Aang watched through long eyelashes as Katara's eyes glittered silver in the moonlight before she turned to walk away. His sleep-deprived mind barely had time to register the soft expression on her face before dreams of chocolate hair and sapphire eyes invaded his mind again.

"Hey!" A loud voice crudely woke the sleeping Water Tribe boy. "Where's Katara?"

Sokka sat up and yawned. Scratching his head, he looked up at the airbender boy standing over him.

"I dunno," he said, rubbing his eyes. "I bet she just went off to practise her waterbending near the river and fell asleep."

He wasn't worried. Katara knew what she was doing, and she was definitely not vulnerable. Sokka had witnessed her skills first hand. She could hold her own in any fight. Besides, it would never come to that. They were in a secluded part of a forest; it would be impossible for anyone to sneak up on them. At least, that's what Sokka told himself.

"Well, I'm sure Katara would be touched at your concern," Aang huffed. He prodded the dying fire, blowing into it in a failed attempt to relight it. But the stupid embers wouldn't light.

Giving up, Aang brushed his hands against his trousers and stood. His eyes were drawn to the treeline, still dark even though it was morning. He couldn't help thinking about Katara's smile before she turned away. There had been kindness there, but something else too…

The Avatar turned to face Sokka.

"Come on," he said, forcefully. "Let's find her."

A tree branch suddenly materialised in front of Aang's face, and he brushed it away impatiently. Neither of the boys had realised how far it was to the river. It had been lighter when they'd first made their way to Jeong Jeong's camp, and they'd had Chey to lead the way.

Aang glanced at Sokka warily. He didn't like to think about how dark it must have been for Katara when she'd made her way through the forest. It was hard to see now, when the sun was up, let alone when the sky was dark as well.

They pushed on faster.

After what seemed like hours, the two companions finally burst through the shrub and stopped before they hit the fast-flowing river. They looked around frantically, but there was no sign of the Water Tribe girl.

Aang tried to calm his breathing, but he couldn't help assuming the worst. After seeing the state in which the Fire Nation had left his only home, there was no other way to think.

Meeting Sokka's equally distressed eyes, they decided to split up.

"You go that way," Sokka told Aang, point downriver. "And I'll go this way. Meet back here in ten minutes."

There was nothing. No sign at all. No scuff marks to tell if there'd been a struggle, no broken branches - no clues whatsoever.

It killed Aang not to know what had happened.

Maybe Sokka had found something.

It was obvious from the Water Tribe boy's expression that he hadn't found anything either.

Aang sank to his knees and buried his head in his hands. _No no no no no…_ _Not Katara._ His stomach dropped and he felt sick. What if- no. He refused to even think that. She was alive and they would get her back.

As Sokka paced back and forth, they both came to the same conclusion. There was only one way anyone could reach this part of the clearing, and that was on the river.

Hatred sparked in both of the boy's eyes as they nodded bitterly to each other.

Whoever had taken Katara would pay.

Zuko grinned smugly to himself as he watched the Avatar and the girl's brother take off upriver on the flying bison.

Agni, they were predictable.

He turned back towards the forest, his mind already on his next problem: how to convince Katara he needed his honour back, and that the only way he'd get that was if he had her friend.

This was going to be one of the hardest things the banished Prince would ever have to do.


	8. Manipulation

Sorry I haven't updated for a while, been a bit busy.

Thank you all so much for your comments, they're so great to read. Please keep telling me what you think!

In the meantime, I'll try to update as much as possible.

-Ellie

….

The floor writhed under her feet as Katara sat up and groaned. A headache stabbed against her skull, and she put her cool palm against her forehead in an attempt to calm it down. After a while, her head cleared and Katara could think again.

She knew what had happened, but had no idea where she was. Judging by the constant tilting of the floor and the slightly damp cell she was currently in, Katara was on a boat. A quick look through the circular window told her the same thing.

_Ha,_ she thought. _Water. Zuko's really not as smart as he thinks he is._

Getting up awkwardly – her leg had gone numb because of the way she'd been sleeping – Katara steadied herself. She raised her hands and began to move them in a single fluid motion, aiming to create an ice shard hard enough to break through the iron hull separating her from the river. If this worked, she could take down two birds with one stone. Katara would escape, and the Fire Nation boat would sink, delaying the Prince's hunt for Aang. She smiled smugly and waited for the familiar feeling of control. But the water never called to her.

Katara lost track of how long she spent trying to waterbend. With every attempt she grew more and more frustrated until finally, exhausted and angry, she slumped down with an annoyed sigh.

Her brow furrowed and she ran her fingers through her messy hair. What was wrong with her? She knew she wasn't a master yet – far from it – but shouldn't something have happened by now? The water had stubbornly remained unresponsive, and Katara hadn't felt the usual stillness that accompanied waterbending.

She growled and banged her fist against the metal just as a dark figure slunk out of the shadows.

"Your waterbending won't work here," said a gravelly voice. Katara immediately recognised it as the voice that had hunted them all over the world. An involuntary shiver ran up her spine.

"And why's that?" she asked, her voice as cold as ice.

The Fire Prince chuckled. "The iron blocks your skills. As long as you're on this ship, you can't affect water."

Katara composed herself before her shock became obvious. She'd never been rendered completely useless before. It hadn't occurred to her that her waterbending could be blocked. Her panicked mind raced as she tried to come up with an escape plan.

Zuko's self-satisfied smile filtered through her thoughts and she realised she could use his ego to her advantage. If he was telling the truth, and she really was helpless, there was only one way to get off this ship: by using cunning and a bit of luck.

But she couldn't make it obvious.

Katara slid her back down the cool metal of the boat's frame. She forced her body into a relaxed position and crossed her arms. Forming a reluctantly impressed expression onto her perfect features, the Water Tribe girl found Zuko's fiery eyes behind the bars of her cell.

"You must have been planning this for a long time," she said.

Zuko tried to hide his glowing pride, but the girl's sea-green eyes bored into him as if they saw everything. It was very unnerving and it made his heart beat wildly. He quickly averted his gaze before she could affect him anymore. The Prince took a deep breath and turned back to Katara, her slender form radiating uncertainty. Good. Soon she would give him the information he sought in return for her release and his suffering would be over.

The banished Prince stalked towards the door, his back to the Water Tribe girl. But before he shut her in once again, Zuko looked over his shoulder and smirked.

"Ages," he told her, clanging the iron door shut behind him.

Katara smiled grimly in the dim light, hating the manipulation Zuko had reduced her to. But she had to get back. Aang and Sokka were relying on her.

"Sokka, we have no choice," Aang told the sour-faced teenager in front of him. "I don't like it either, you know I don't, but we need help if we want to get Katara back. And he's the best tracker around."

Sokka nodded regretfully. He knew the boy was right. They'd been travelling around the same forest for hours and hadn't seen any sign of Katara.

"Alright," he said. "But for La's sake, don't trust everything he says. We don't need a repeat of last time. Not now."

Aang gave a sharp tug on Appa's reins and they began to fly back the way they'd come, both boys aware of the lack of Katara's presence.


	9. Old friends

Hey guys!

Sorry the last one wasn't very fluffy, but do not despair. It will be soon.

I know I say this every time, but I really am grateful for all your encouragements. You guys are the best :D

I really hope you enjoy my story as much as I enjoy writing it.

-Ellie

….

Sokka sat on a boulder slowly rubbing the soles of his feet. The long hike through the forest had tired him out. He'd regretted their decision only an hour into the trek, but they'd been walking for a day now and Sokka was on the verge of suggesting they turn back.

In Appa's saddle, both boys had agreed to find the hideout on foot. Jets lair was too well-camouflaged to be seen from the air and the only clues to its whereabouts were animal traps on the ground and the pink vines dangling from the trees.

But they'd seen neither on their journey and Aang was starting to feel the same way as the Water Tribe boy. He felt despair crashing down on him as he realised they'd have to come up with a different way of finding Katara. Aang and Sokka had spent hours trying to figure out what had happened to her, but they hadn't managed to come up with any ideas. They couldn't even be sure she had been taken.

If he was honest, Aang would have much preferred it if she had left them. It would hurt more, but it would mean she was partly safe. He couldn't stand to imagine her stuck somewhere with her kidnapper. A shiver ran up the Avatar's spine and he shook his head.

_Enough._ Thinking like this wouldn't help her.

Aang turned sharply to the teenager behind him. "Come on," he said. "If we haven't seen a sign after an hour, then I'll call Appa. But we can't give up yet."

Sokka looked up and nodded wearily. He'd been thinking the same thing.

Groaning, the Water Tribe Boy stood up. Greenery stretched in every direction, making him slightly dizzy. It was hard for Sokka to get used to the freedom after living in the snowy plains of the Southern Water Tribe for 15 years. He'd grown up surrounded by white and bits of blue. Despite having travelled with Aang for so long, he still couldn't help marvelling at all the life so obviously bursting from the trees.

In a way, he envied Jet at his isolation. He was always so far above everything. It was a great advantage.

Aang watched Sokka staring wide-eyed at the forest surrounding them, and wondered if Katara had had the same reaction the first time she'd seen trees. Growing up in the mountains, there had been less greenery than here, but he had seen forests before. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like for them living in such a barren landscape, seeing the same people over and over again. How boring. He wondered what they'd done for fun.

Taking a mental note to ask Katara to teach him how to play Southern Water Tribe games, Aang started walking again, Sokka following closely behind.

Neither wanted to admit the obvious: they might never find Jet's hideout again. It was too awful to even think about. Sokka's basic hunting skills weren't enough to track his sister's abductor, and even Appa wasn't much help. Whoever was able to take Katara must have been clever enough to hide where you can't see them from above.

Both tried to keep their minds off Katara as they pushed further and further into the dense forest, each losing a little hope with every step.

There was no warning. One minute they were alone, the next they were surrounded.

Sokka put a reassuring hand on Aang's shoulder and they both raised their hands in surrender.

"Well, well, well," said a familiar voice behind them. "Wasn't expecting to see you two again."

"Jet," Aang nodded towards the dark-haired boy coming towards them. They might have to work together, but that didn't mean Aang was going to trust him. The time for that had been and gone.

"And to what do we owe the pleasure, Avatar?" Jet said, his speech a little stunted by the grass he kept chewing on.

What _had_ Katara seen in him?

"We need your help."


	10. Speechless

Again, sorry they haven't been particularly fluffy as of late. I don't plan these things, they just kinda pop into my head and I roll with it.

Just letting you all know, I haven't forgotten about my original Kataang intentions. However, I'm hoping this story will continue for a while so I've begun to make it a little more interesting. You'll see what I mean.

I hope you still like them though. And continue to like them, obviously.

Anyhoo, I'll get back to the story now. Enjoy!

-Ellie

….

"Why didn't you just take him?"

Zuko jumped, then reigned himself in. He slid his Dao swords carefully back in their sheathes and gently placed them on the wooden table in front of him. Ready to shout for his guards to put her back in her cell, the Prince turned around.

But he was momentarily caught off guard by the sight of Katara leaning with her hip against the doorframe, her arms crossed across her chest. She'd taken her plait out, and her hair now cascaded down her back in chocolate waves. Ringlets framed her oval face, and the dark blue of her clothes brought out the purplish hues of her eyes.

Whatever Zuko was about to say was choked in his throat, and he had to cough slightly to get rid of it. For a second, his mind scrambled to find something to say before deciding on "What?"

He rolled his eyes. _Smooth, Zuko._

Katara, fully aware of the affect she was having on him, sighed and repeated herself.

"You knew where he was. Why didn't you just take Aang when you had the chance?"

Zuko hadn't been expecting this. None of his other prisoners had ever questioned his motives before.

"I…didn't want to risk being incapacitated. Normally, three on one wouldn't be a problem. But when one of them is the Avatar…" He knew he watch clutching at straws, but he couldn't seem to stop.

"What about when we were asleep?" Katara questioned again.

Zuko's fiery eyes narrowed in suspicion, his scar crumpling into an even more grotesque version. From the other side of the room, Katara couldn't help but wonder how he'd got it. Obviously, she'd heard stories of the Fire Prince's marred features, but gossip in the Southern Water Tribe was about as reliable and accurate as asking a squirrel-frog what time it was. Nobody knew what had actually happened, and Katara was pretty sure the rumours weren't anywhere close to the truth. She made a mental note to ask him at some point.

"Why do you keep pushing this?" Zuko rebuked stiffly.

"No reason," Katara replied lightly, slowly walking closer until she stood right in front of the Prince. "Just wanted to know."

Then, with a swish of hazel hair, she turned and slipped out of the room.

Zuko stood paralysed as Katara's sweet scent rolled over him, watching as she left. Somewhere in the depths of his confused mind, the Prince acknowledged that Mai had never made him feel like this. And that, yet again, he was in trouble.

"Oof!" Iroh grunted as he walked into the girl.

Katara landed with a bump on the floor of the metal ship.

"I apologise, Princess," he said as he offered a hand to help her up.

"It's alri- Wait, what did you call me?"

The Dragon of the West smiled a secretive smile and pulled her up. But as he did so, Iroh leaned in towards her slightly and whispered in her ear, "Left hand corner, by the water," before sauntering away in the opposite direction.

For five minutes, the Water Tribe girl stood in the narrow corridor puzzling over what the old man had said. It made no sense. _By the water? _What did he mean? Muttering under her breath, Katara walked back to her cell.

The moonlight beat through the cubby window and ignited the girl's shining eyes as they flew open. Taking an ever-present pin out of her plait, Katara smiled. She knew what she had to do.


	11. Back in the trees

HIT 3000 views! Thank you all so much!

Seriously. You guys are the best. Sorry I keep saying this but it's true.

-Ellie

….

"I swear, if you don't stop pacing, you won't have legs to pace _on _by the time I'm through," Sokka growled in Aang's direction.

"It's been 2 days, Sokka," Aang hissed back. "What the hell is taking them so long?"

Since the Freedom Fighters had found them (ironically only about 250m from the vines), Aang and Sokka had spent hours cooped up in the trees, waiting for Jet's answer. For some reason, he'd said that he needed to 'confer' with the rest of his group before joining them to find Katara. But that was 48 hours ago and the boys were growing restless.

"Look, if we don't have an answer by tonight, we'll have to find another way of getting Katara," Sokka said in a calming voice.

Aang reluctantly nodded and sat down heavily on one of the thick tree vines that protruded into the tree house.

Hours later, when the boys were considering just getting up and leaving, Sokka's blade began to vibrate in the tree trunk behind him.

The Avatar's head snapped up just as Jet, Pipsqueak and Smellerbee entered. Without any warning, he stalked towards the Freedom Fighters.

"About time," Aang spat.

His hands raised in a surrendering gesture, Jet chuckled.

"Calm it, friend," he said. "We've decided to help you."

"Took you long enough," Sokka remarked coldly. He might not be as forward as Aang, but he wasn't too happy about the wasted time either.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Jet replied.

"Some of us weren't as… easily convinced as others," Smellerbee chimed in vaguely. Pipsqueak grunted in agreement.

Sokka and Aang shared a confused look before deciding that now wasn't the time for arguing. Katara had already been gone for 3 days – who knows what could have happened to her. Neither of them wanted to think too hard about it.

"Right then," Jet said, turning towards the door. "You coming? I know exactly where to start."

And with that, he turned and disappeared into the canopy of leaves, leaving Aang and Sokka behind.

The Avatar turned to the two remaining Freedom Fighters. "What about you?" He asked. "Are you not coming as well?" It seemed weird that after all that debate, Jet's followers wouldn't join them after all.

"We are," Pipsqueak said. "But we've just got to sort something out."

"We'll be right behind you," Smellerbee enforced.

So Aang and Sokka followed Jet back to solid ground, Aang floating down lithely; Sokka about as graceful as a platypus-bear.

Neither of them expected what awaited them on the ground.


	12. Unexpected

Hi everyone!

So sorry it's taken so long to update, I've been really busy recently. I hope you're all having a great holiday.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (it's very belated, but whatever :D)

As a present to you all (well, it depends on whether you like my writing or not), I've made this an extra-long chapter. I really hope you don't find it boring.

Love you all.

-Ellie

….

Footsteps echoed down the metal hallway, alerting the sleeping waterbender to the guard's presence. She brushed the brown ringlets invading her vision away from her eyes and sat up, groaning.

Slowly, Katara's foggy mind registered the cold seeping through the folds of her blue chiffon dress. She looked down and realised she'd spent the entire night on the freezing iron floor of her cell. The patterned metal of the ship had imprinted on her cheek, and Katara couldn't help but chuckle at the peculiar welts it had left.

But her good mood faded as suddenly as it had come as the realisation that she was still stuck in the same dismal situation settled on her. Katara prided herself in the fact that she was strong-minded enough to think her way out of difficult circumstances, but still. Shouldn't she have heard _something_ from Aang and Sokka? Or didn't they care?

The waterbender shook her head violently, trying to clear her head of poisonous thoughts.

_No, _she told herself. _They will be doing everything they can, and you know it._

Meanwhile, Katara had to help herself. Her eyes zeroed in on the irregular dent in the top left-hand corner of the cell where she'd used her hair pin to scratch at the weakened metal. The Dragon of the West's hint had been spot on with its implication, and Katara couldn't help wondering why Zuko's uncle would want to help her. After all, he was Fire Nation and very close to the Fire Prince. Surely his loyalty should lie with his nephew?

Evidently not. Katara had spent hours puzzling over Iroh's motives, but hadn't got very far.

She wasn't going to complain though. Without her bending, Katara was useless. It had never occurred to her that her abilities could be stopped. Stupid, really. She should've thought further ahead. But it was too late now.

Even if she wouldn't admit it, Iroh had done her a huge favour by helping her out. Katara didn't want to think about what would've happened (or not happened, as the case would've been) if she'd been left without aid. Who knew where the boys were; it had been four days since she'd last seen them and Katara was actually beginning to think they weren't coming. She hoped nothing had happened to them.

But she trusted them both to look after themselves. Especially Aang. Not that her brother couldn't look after himself, but she knew from experience that his impulsive tendencies could cause more problems than they solved. Even if Aang was three years younger, he seemed more mature somehow.

Sometimes, anyway.

She stood up, groaning as her cramped muscles stretched into more natural positions. Attempting to roll the crick out her neck, Katara made her way over to the wall. She dragged her light-weight bed into the corner and climbed up. The springs creaked as Katara adjusted her weight and she glanced nervously at the door, expecting a fire-wielding guard to burst through any minute. Luckily, the two guards assigned to watch her were too busy bickering over who had won their card game, so the waterbender turned her back on the door and faced the wall.

The sharpened hair-pin glinted in the dim light as she took it from her hair, revealing a point sharp enough to pierce body armour. Katara was immensely proud of her make-shift weapon, as it had taken her hours of painful blisters and pin pricks to eventually file it down. The pin was still really awkward to hold, but Katara reckoned it wouldn't take long before the needle finally made a hole in the boat's hull.

Iroh's tip had indicated to a small spot of rust in the top corner of her cell, barely visible to anyone who didn't already know it was there. As she'd worked at it, Katara had managed to flake bits of the weakened metal away, gradually getting closer and closer to the outside world.

Once a hole appeared, Katara planned to somehow bend the water from inside the ship and use it to escape. She hadn't quite figured out how yet, but the waterbender was sure she'd think of something when the time came. At least, that's what she hoped.

For the next few hours, Katara worked steadily away at the metal until her fingers were sore. She was so close - she could practically feel the cool breeze dancing across her fingertips.

_There!_

A spot of blue, peeking out amongst the orange rust. Katara scratched away at the jagged edges of the hole, slowly but surely making it bigger.

He burst through the door with no warning. There was nothing Katara could do but slip the needle back into her plait and grin sheepishly.

Furious brown eyes glared at her from across the room, their owner a huge firebender with oily black hair obscuring his twisted features. There was something off about this guy, Katara decided. She'd encountered tons of creepy Fire Nation soldiers before, but this was different. His eyes held something that went further than pure hatred.

The man stalked towards her, making Katara shrink back further against the wall. He kept coming closer until he stopped right in front of the waterbender, his face inches from hers. A grotesque grimace flashed across his features as he raised a hand and struck her across the face.

Katara gasped and fell back on the bed just as he reached down to pick her up by the neck. The yell in her throat was strangled before she could release it, but her hands were still free. She tugged desperately at the hand enclosed around her neck, sinking her nails into the flesh.

The man swore and threw her at the wall, clenching his now bleeding hand to his body. Katara slid to the floor, pain exploding in her head. She whimpered and struggled to pull herself up. This was like nothing she'd ever experienced before. Usually, they got out of situations before anything like this ever happened. Katara didn't know what to do.

"You stupid little waterbender," he spat, making the insult seem so much worse in his vile voice. "What were you doing, huh?" He glanced at the cell corner. From where she was, Katara couldn't see the hole, and she hoped he couldn't too. Whatever this was about, showing that she'd succeeded in her aim would not help.

"Thought you'd escape, did you?" He snarled. "Well, princess, you're here now, and you're little friends aren't coming to save you."

Katara's eyes widened as she realised what the man had said. "What- what do you mean?"

He chuckled evilly, his towering body vibrating with the movement. Katara shrank back against the cold iron, wishing there was time for her to waterbend.

She watched with horror as he brought his foot back, ready to strike again. Time slowed down as the kick drew nearer. Katara held her breath, mentally prepared herself for the pain.

But it never came.

"STOP!" Zuko roared, shooting the man off his feet with a powerful blast of fire. "What is going on?"

The prince's glowering eyes found Katara trembling on the ground and the breath left his lungs. "Katara," he whispered.

Zuko turned his furious gaze to the man crumpled in a heap on the other side of the cell. "What is the meaning of this, Lien?"

"Sire," Lien whimpered. "She was trying to escape! I caught her in the act. I was just teaching her a lesson."

Zuko shook his head in disgust. "Get out of my sight. You no longer deserve the title of a Fire Nation soldier."

Katara watched uncomfortably as Lien was led away in handcuffs, a guard on each side. If she hadn't been in so much pain, Katara was sure she would have felt satisfaction at Lien's dismissal and gratitude for Zuko's timely arrival. But all she could feel was terror at her attacker's last comment. What had he meant, they weren't coming? Katara had enough sense to guess. Something had happened to the boys – something terrible.

Fog seeped into her mind, clogging any rational thought. As she slipped into a welcome unconsciousness, Katara saw the Fire Prince kneel beside her with a concerned expression on his chiselled features.

"Katara," she heard him murmur; this new gentle Zuko so different from the intense prince he'd just been. "Katara, come back…"

Slowly, Katara came round.

Zuko waited for the waterbender to regain consciousness properly from his seat on the freezing metal floor. Katara cringed when her bruised neck complained at the uncomfortable position she'd been resting in. The prince cringed along with her, resenting himself for getting her into this mess. If he'd just _thought_ before placing Lien as Katara's guard, she wouldn't be hurting right now. Zuko had known Lien's backstory – he should have realised the kind of situation he'd be put in. Lien had even told Zuko of his vow to avenge his family after seeing them die at the hands of Northern Water Tribe soldiers. And Zuko had given that monster the perfect opportunity to carry out his promise.

He cursed himself for his stupidity.

Then Katara groaned from her bed and buried her head in her arms. Zuko had had his personal doctors look at her, but it didn't seem to have made any difference. The prince wished there was something else he could do to help. He stood up to hover around her bed.

Katara looked up to find Zuko standing over her, and her breath hitched. Despite somehow knowing he wouldn't hurt her, everything from his proximity to the colours on his tunic reminded her of her attacker.

Terror entered Katara's blue eyes, darkening them in a way Zuko had never seen before. Sadness entered his heart as he realised she would never trust him; not after Lien. The intensity of his feelings surprised Zuko and scared him. He'd never felt this way before - well, outside of his feelings for his mother, but that was different. The young waterbender had changed him in the few days she'd been here, and Zuko didn't want to look too far into what that meant.

For now, he had to keep sight of what his main purpose was for having her here: the Avatar. She was his bait.

The familiar ice entered his heart as he called his guards over.

"Handcuff her," he commanded them. "We don't want her escaping like Lien"- Katara flinched at the sound of his name – "suspected she would."

In the back of her mind, Katara acknowledged the cold metal that now enclosed her wrists, but she was still exhausted from the assault. Oblivion welcomed the waterbender again just as the heavy cell door clanged shut; Katara's pain-riddled mind vaguely commenting, 'What an appropriate ending to such an awful day'.


End file.
